Easter Sunday - Part 3 - The Very Chocolatey Easter Hen Cake

Well what can I say about this cake! I wanted something over the top and chocolatey, something to make the children smile and I think I achieved it! It made me laugh anyway, I thought it was ridiculous in a good way. I'm happy to report that it tasted good too, no surprise that it tasted of chocolate but it was also moist and full of interesting textures.

The Very Chocolatey Easter Cake

First make the sponge. Greased and line 2 x 8 inch cake pans and preheated the oven to GM4/180C/350F.

To make the sponge take 4 large eggs and weigh them. Then measure out the same weight of each of the following - caster sugar, butter, and self-raising flour - substituting 50g of the flour for 50g of Green & Blacks cocoa powder. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of milk and then approximately 90g of assorted chocolate drops, white, milk and dark.

Divide the mixture between the 2 pans and spread evenly, before baking for about 25 minutes until firm and springy to the touch and a skewer can be inserted and comes out clean.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Next make the butter cream. I started with 175g butter and 350g icing sugar, I beat it in a food processor added about an 25g of cocoa powder and 100g melted 72% Lindt Dark Chocolate, I then continued to add icing sugar until I got a good spreading consistency.

When the sponge is cool, position the bottom layer on a cake board. Spread with a thin layer of the butter cream, sprinkle with assorted chocolate drops and top with the upper layer.

Cover the cake in chocolate butter cream, not too thickly (unless you like it that way!).

Then you will need about 3 packets of Cadbury's Chocolate Fingers to arrange around the outside of the cake, see the pictures for guidance.

Next, melt another bar of Lindt 72% Dark Chocolate and add about 2 Shredded Wheat crumbled into wheaty strands like nesting material. The mix needs to be wet enough to mould into a nest shape but so that the chocolate hardens and stays in a nest shape. I lightly greased a small bowl and formed my nest inside it. I chilled it in the fridge and warmed it slightly to loosen and release the finished nest to place on top of the cake. I filled the nest with Cadbury's Mini Eggs and unwrapped a Smarties Hen to perch on the top. 

Finally, I finished the decoration with some green sprinkles and some Thornton's Chocolate Bunnies. 

You can adapt the cake however you like, use green icing and add some chocolate sheep, perch an Easter egg on top, have some fun.

Aerial view

Hen close up

Inside the hen!..an eggy surprise and inside the egg - some Smarties - magic!